iTalk by Ms Reshma Nilofer, Sector Pilotage Services

"Person over board - all pilot boat crewmembers and pilots should be trained in recovery as realistic as possible. Don’t wait for a real emergency to find out that something doesn’t work as intended!"

The ICS Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations is the industry standard best practice guide for shipping companies, ships’ crew and helicopter operators.

This article was first published back in September 2021: Pilotage operations require close interaction between human and machines. This complex sociotechnical system is necessary to safely and efficiently maneuver a vessel in constrained waters.

RINA ACT Technical Meeting
23 November 2021
Port Ash Australia: Ship Handling Training & Research Centre
By A. Beazley, Port Ash, Australia

A handy and simple tool to determine in a minimum time what is really needed as tug assistance, is the Bollard Pull Calculator which calculates in an approximate way the total required tug power for ships in various conditions of wind and current. This tool can be loaded as an app on the smart phone.

The Pacific Guardian pilot boat is first seen in Victoria Harbour near Ogden Point before making her way to Point Hope Maritime Shipyard for a full refit. This video captures the entire move process, from the cradle lowering into the harbour, to the careful docking of the vessel, to her move across the turntable and onto the spur line. Some of the footage has been sped up, since the cradle lowering and lifting are slow, deliberate operations where every movement is checked and rechecked....

Captain Kevin Vallance awarded the Merchant Navy Medal for services to Maritime Safety.

Pilot boats doing their thing on a rough day at Port Phillip Heads. Featuring: Auriga Pilots – PV Griffiths Port Phillip Sea Pilots – PV Nepean Videography from the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast & beyond. Enquiries E: info@petejamesmedia.com.au DM for enquiries. Other work - Landscape Photography: IG: @petejamesphoto FB: @petejamesphoto www.petejamesphotography.com.au Commercial Photography & Video IG: @petejamesmedia www.petejamesmedia.com.au Surf Videos IG: @petejames.surf

The maritime industry has long been a domain of tradition, resilience, and technical excellence. But if we look at its human makeup, particularly with regards to maritime pilotage, one question glares us in the face with uncomfortable clearness: where are the women?